Ballina to host league grand finals
Ballina Seagulls won the right to host the Retravision Northern League grand finals with a 31-24 win over minor premiers Mullumbimby in the major semi-final at Mullumbimby today.
Spearheaded by a Man of the Match performance by halfback Willie Hammond and two-try efforts from centre Brenton Cochrane and fullback Jamie Quinn, the Seagulls overturned a 44-14 loss to the Giants three weeks ago and now will host the grand finals on September 16 at Kingsford Smith Park, Ballina.
In another major boost for the club, the Seagulls’ reserve grade also won through to the grand final with an 18-12 win over Murwillumbah today.
In Under-18s, Ballina’s season ended in the minor semi-final on Saturday, with the Seagulls losing 22-10 to Tweed Coast Raiders.
Mullumbimby now will face the in-form Marist Brothers in the preliminary final at Mullum next Sunday.
Brothers, who finished fourth and then accounted for fifth-placed Byron Bay in last weekend’s knockout semi-final, were too strong for Tweed Coast Raiders in the minor semi-final on Saturday, winning 24-12.
Full results:
Major semi-finals at Mullumbimby today:
1st Grade: BALLINA 31 (Brenton Cochrane 2, Jamie Quinn 2, Luke Bartlett tries; Andrew Battese 2 goals, Willie Hammond 3 goals; Willie Hammond field goal) d MULLUMBIMBY 24 (Jai Hitchcox 3, Chad Grant tries; Travis Drought 4 goals).
Reserve Grade: BALLINA 18 (Anthony Perry 2, Paul Tagget, Ryan Lindsay tries; Justin Bolt goal) d MURWILLUMBAH 12 (Isaac Kniepp, Mick Anderson tries; Luke Moy 2 goals).
Under-18s: MARIST BROTHERS 29 (Scott McLennan 4, Chris De Guisti tries; John Campbell 4 goals; John Campbell field goal) d MULLUMBIMBY 28 (Aaron Cook 2, Lindsay Beckett 2, Daniel Sims tries; Steve Carsons 2, Dane Chisholm 2 goals). NOTE: 24-all at full-time, 28-all after extra 10 minutes each-way. 29-28 to Marist Brothers after golden point.
Minor Semi-Finals at Les Burger Field Cabarita, on Saturday:
1st Grade: MARIST BROTHERS 24 (Brett Spears 2, Dylan Coleman, Bart Foster tries; Evan Hickling 4 goals) d TWEED COAST RAIDERS 10 (Dane Heron, Michael Sharp tries; Adam Atkin goal).
Reserve Grade: MULLUMBIMBY 32 (Scott Hogan 2, Paul Latta, Sam Roberts, Nigel Halpin, Nathan Kemeister tries; Mitch Lambert 4 goals) d LOWER CLARENCE 26 (Roy Bell 2, Michael Randell, Brendan Randell, Dave Fernando tries; Dwayne Randell goals, Roy Bell goal).
Under-18s: TWEED COAST 22 (Adrian Hutton, Josh Togo, Matt Winters, Grant Stevens, James Sheans tries; Mitch Fredricks goal) d BALLINA 10 (Lachlan Flannery, Matt Hundy tries; Matt Gibson goal).
Next Sunday, September 9, preliminary finals at Mullumbimby:
1st Grade: Mullumbimby v Marist Brothers 2.45 pm.
Reserve Grade: Murwillumbah v Mullumbimby 1pm.
Under-18s: Mullumbimby v Tweeed Coast 11.30 a.m
VENUE Les Donnelly Field Mullumbimby.
November 22nd, 2007 at 8:05 am
Well done boys!!!!!!!!! I am a South African also by the name Chris de Guisti same as the Under-18 Marist Brothers’ try scorer. We are also big in Rugby. Good Luck Boys!